What does the Bible teach about ungratefulness?

Does gratitude really matter?  In these present times, it seems as though a lot of people have lost touch with being appreciative for the many blessings they receive.  So often in the news you can hear how many groups of people within our communities and nations are referred to as the entitlement generation.  Take for instance, how often do people receive thank you cards for giving birthday or Christmas gifts to their nieces, nephews or close friends and family?  If the recipients of the gifts do not show any gratitude or acknowledgement, how do the givers of the gifts respond?  Blame the kids, the parents, themselves – for possibly picking the wrong gifts – or society in general?

 

What does the Bible teach actually about ungratefulness?  The Apostle Paul includes ungratefulness as being one of the many sinful behaviors.  Jesus Christ also taught that there were many ungrateful people, in that God is even kind to them.

“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather that lovers of God….” (II Timothy 3:2-4 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him….”   (Romans 1:21 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

“’But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.’” (Luke 6:35 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

Conversely, the entire theme of the New Covenant emphasizes the importance of showing gratitude…in response to God’s gift of eternal life – solely through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.  Similarly, in the Old Testament, King David emphasized the importance of giving praise and thanks to God with a grateful heart.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.” (Psalm 9:1 NIV)

So there are various reasons why some people convey ungratefulness to God and others.  One of the most obvious reasons is society in general has sometimes gone through periods of history with an attitude of complacency and entitlement, which has led to the fall of many great nations.  Of course, the core reason of ungratefulness usually runs even deeper in that many believers who know the difference between doing the right and wrong things, sometimes continue to choose selfishness over righteousness.

Overall, Scripture commands believers to refrain from being unappreciative or unthankful, especially to God.  In like manner, an ungrateful attitude can also have a negative spiritual impact on our communities and nations as a whole, since many people in this current society have never personally experienced God’s eternal saving grace or worse yet never been exposed to believers who express gratitude to God on a daily basis through their personal lives.  On the contrary, believers are to convey gratitude to God by giving back of their time, talent, gifts and resources to the work of the Lord – not out of obligation or works, but as an expression of God’s love working through their lives as a testimony to others.